Carbon Quote by Wallace Stegner
““She was so old, she would have had to be dated by carbon 14.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939
The quote humorously suggests that someone is extremely old, likening their age to something that can only be measured by radiocarbon dating.
In simple terms: Very old, like ancient fossils.
Key Takeaway
Recognize humor in exaggeration.
Themes
age
humor
exaggeration
Mood
lighthearted
playful
Type
humorous
witty
When to use this quote
- family gatherings
- historical documentaries
- science lectures
- storytelling
- genealogy
Key Concepts
radiocarbon dating
temporal scale
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you use humor to comment on age?
- When is exaggeration effective?
A Different Perspective
The joke may be misinterpreted as literal age, causing confusion.
![“Since thirteen, she’d been preparing. She wasn’t beautiful like these Bayhead Harbor girls, but it was surprising how men sometimes looked at her. More it was older men rather than guys her age, for some reason. […] There were guys - older guys - she’d yearned for so frankly you could see it in…” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/759/joyce-carol-oates-344_a-fair-maiden_since-thirteen-she-d-been-preparing-she_2689723.jpg)
